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with a piece of lemon, and by keeping the artichoke in water acidulated with lemon juice or vinegar until you're ready to use it. Don't use aluminum or castiron pots for cooking, as these will discolor artichokes as well. Also, don't cover raw artichokes with foil; use kitchen parchment or plastic wrap instead. Finally, whenever possible, cook artichokes in acidulated water. But as unpleasant as it may look, browning doesn't affect the flavor of the artichokes, and I've always felt that fretting too much over appearances interferes with the pleasures of eating. ARTICHOKES LIKE MEDITERRANEAN FLAVORS Although I love to eat my way through a simply steamed artichoke leafby leaf, I confess to be at more risk of eating until I pop when artichokes have been prepared in one of the rustic ways of their native Mediterranean. Not surprisingly, artichokes are well matched with many of the seasonings we associate with that part of the world. They have an affinity for garlic, tarragon, thyme, and winter savory; for butter, olive oil, cream, and for Parmesan cheese. Artichokes go well with seafood-especially shrimp, crab, scallops, and salmon-and with light meats, such as chicken and pheasant, and also with lamb. Artichoke Pesto Use this fluffy puree as a dip for raw vegetables, spread it across grilled toast, or toss it with your favorite pasta. Yields about 7!Q cups. 3 medium artichokes (7 oz. each), steamed whole (or use 6 small or 2 large artichokes) 11 cup freshly grated Parmesan or other dry cheese 3 Tbs. olive oil 1 up. minced garlic li.! tsp. salt � tsp. freshly ground black pepper Cut off the stem of each artichoke at its base. If your artichokes have little or no choke development, scoop out the bottom and all the tender leaves. Alternatively, if your artichokes are more mature, cut them in half lengthwise, remove and discard the choke, and scoop out the bottom and tender leaves. You should have about 1 cup combined artichoke bottom and tender leaves. In a food processor or blender, puree the artichoke pieces, cheese, and 2 Tbs. of the oil to a thick paste. Add the remaining 1 Tbs. oil, the garlic, salt, and pepper and puree until just combined. Artichoke & Sausage Cakes These can be served on their own as a main course or as an appetizer accompanied with a roasted tomato sauce, just a dose of garlic and lemon, or tucked between slices of focaccia to make a sandwich. Yields six cakes. Y., cup coarse fresh breadcrumbs 1 Tbs. milk � lb. fresh pork sausage meat 1 egg, well beaten li.! tsp. salt 3 medium artichokes (7 oz. each) � tsp. freshly ground black pepper 1 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme In a large mixing bowl, combine the sausage, egg, breadcrumbs, milk, salt, pepper, and thyme. Trim the Snap off the remaining leaves until you reach the inner layer of the palest yellow leaves. If the choke is developed, scoop it out with a sharp. edged stainlesssteel spoon. Drizzle the cavity with lemon juice. Trim all the dark-green remains of the snapped leaves away from the base. Rub all cut surfaces with one of the lemon halves and keep the heart in acidulated water until ready to use. APRIL/MAY 1996 If a recipe calls for halved or quartered artichokes, prepare as for hearts, cut as directed, and keep in acidulated water until ready to use. To prepare artichoke bottoms, follow the steps for preparing artichoke hearts, but trim the leaves off completely and scoop out all of the choke.